Unfinished projects to get major push in Thiruvananthapuram corporation budget
The local body is planning to introduce a participatory budget ahead of the corporation budget, involving the public in its day-to-day activities.
Published: 16th January 2019 03:24 AM | Last Updated: 16th January 2019 03:24 AM | A+A A-
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city corporation 2019-2020 budget which will be held on February will focus on the ongoing projects. The local body is planning to introduce a participatory budget ahead of the corporation budget, involving the public in its day-to-day activities.
"Projects including setting up a Mayor's Bhavan, slaughter-house and multi-level parking facilities are at the tender stages. We will give importance to these projects. The remaining priority will be for agriculture, women and children and welfare projects," said Mayor V K Prasanth.
However, the project will be different this time, as the corporation is involving the public. "The 2019-20 budget session has been scheduled to be earlier owing to the upcoming general elections. We hope to prepare a timetable in order to complete the public consultation project in a month's time. We will use mobile apps, opinion survey and suggestion boxes," said Prasanth.
The corporation has already started taking public opinion in all its major projects including preparation of the new master plan and waste management process. Public consultation will be a key factor in formulating proposals for master plan preparation as well.
Compilation of proposals from each ward would then be done and incorporated in the budget document to be presented by the deputy mayor.
As this is the first budget after the floods, one of the major agendas will be to focus on the cleanliness of the city including cleaning of all major and minor canals, lakes and rivers.
"As Thiruvananthapuram Corporation had been strictly following such cleaning programmes for the past two years, the district was not much affected during the floods. We will continue the works this year too," said the mayor.
The local body has also drafted an action plan for 120 new projects. The state government sanctioned an amount of Rs 328.28 crore for the year 2018-2019.
Along with this, an additional amount of Rs 500 crore has been issued for smart city projects and Rs 200 crore through central projects including PMAY, NULM and AMRUT projects.
Twenty per cent of the 2019-20 plan funds has been approved for the LIFE mission.
